Journaling Through the COVID-19 Pandemic by Laurie Wood

We here in North America are into week two of what I’m going to call the “awareness” of the global pandemic of COVID-19. We’ve become “aware” of the need for social distancing, self-isolation, handwashing, what businesses are considered “essential”, and who’s getting laid off and who can work from home.

The rest of the world figured it out in January and February, but Canada and the US managed to keep our rose-coloured glasses on till the week of March 9^th. That was the week my husband, who’s a Major in the Canadian Armed Forces (Air Force) started getting serious dispatches about how our military was about to cope with the pandemic reaching our shores. And on Friday, March 13^th, around lunch time, I went grocery shopping and decided I’d “stock up” on some essentials before there was a run on them.

Well, the joke was on me because the shelves were already half bare. There was no toilet paper to be had, Kleenex and paper towels were nearly gone, and the meat department looked like the night stock boys hadn’t finished their shift. I managed to score the last two packages of chicken drumsticks. I stared at my “essentials” list and realized that people who were better organized, more up on the news, had already stripped the shelves of hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes and spray, toilet bowl cleaner (apparently Winnipeggers really care about having clean toilets), and dishwasher detergent.

That was the beginning of my family’s “work-at-home-self-isolation”. Our adult children have Down Syndrome and we kept them home during Week One even though their program was still open. My husband was ordered to work from home. My writing routine of peace and quiet was immediately disrupted with three other adults home all day, every day.

The above paragraphs are from a letter I sent to a far-away friend. And then I got the idea to keep a specific journal. Journaling during this pandemic is an excellent idea if you’re a writer. Your experiences as a family, or as a single person, stuck at home and dealing with the social isolation and supply shortages, are crucial to your family history. Recording your thoughts and the events of your days will be special to your children who’re dealing with being out of school, their anxieties, and new experiences as they Facetime with friends from their homes.

Here’s some ways to record or journal your way through this pandemic:

1.      Bullet Journal: keep lists of the TV shows your binge on Netflix, the movies you watch with your kids, the science projects & activities you do with them. Keep a list of how many books you read/review. Keep a list of any new hobbies you learn. New podcasts, webinars, online courses you take. The trivia of your days are the details future generations will cherish.

2.      Keep a video log of your children each day. Have them say something they did that was fun during the day, something new they learned, something they wish was different, something they look forward to when this is all over. Take videos of them being active outside when the weather is good. 

3.      Journal in long-hand for the “bigger” experiences…how your perspective has changed. What is more important to you now than it was a month ago? What is better? What are you grateful for in this time of uncertainty? How is God more real to you now?

We bring hope to readers with our stories. We write to entertain people. We write to record human experience and right now, the global pandemic is bringing the world together in a way it hasn’t experienced since 1918 with the Spanish Flu. Those days are with us again.

Let’s make sure that the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic is recorded with words that speak of our generosity, compassion, bravery, love, and the bright light of the human spirit. Let’s rest in Jesus’ assurance that “in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 15:33 He will never leave us or forsake us.

It’s not to late to start that new journal. Grab a new notebook, or binder paper, or open up a new Document on your laptop. Have you thought about doing this?  Please share your experiences in the comments. 

 BOOK LINK: Amazon

Northern Deception

(Heroes of the Tundra Book 1)

Reunions can be deadly.

After a savage attack in university, Kira Summers fled to the safety of northern Canada and her work as a polar bear scientist. But when her whistleblower brother dies in a mysterious car crash, she must return home to bury him and pack his belongings. Unaware she’s carrying explosive evidence someone’s willing to kill for, she has no choice but to rely on the one person she never thought she’d see again.

Lukas Tanner, a widowed single father of a special needs toddler, moved to Churchill five years ago. As the proud owner of Guiding Star Enterprises, a wilderness tour company, he and his daughter lead a simple life. But when Kira comes crashing back into his world, he realizes God has other plans. Now, Lukas and Kira must confront a merciless killer as their past and present collide in a deadly race—a race they must win if they have any hope of a future together.

Laurie Wood is a military wife who’s lived across Canada and visited six of its ten provinces. She and her husband have raised two wonderful children with Down Syndrome to adulthood, and their son and daughter are a wonderful blessing to their lives. Over the years, Laurie’s books have finaled in prestigious contests such as the Daphne du Maurier (twice), the TARA, the Jasmine, and the Genesis. Her family lives in central Canada with a menagerie of rescue dogs and cats. If the house were bigger, no doubt they’d have more.

Website:  https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriewoodreadersgroup

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LaurieJeanWood

           

You Can’t Run from Your Calling By Leslie L. McKee

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

- Proverbs 3:5-6

Growing up, I wanted to be a writer, among other things. I wrote a few short stories, but I mostly wrote poetry. I’d carry a notebook with me everywhere I went. I entered contests, and I was even a finalist three years in a row for a prestigious summer program for high school writers. I considered a career in journalism. I continued to write on a regular basis until I hit college. There, it slowed a bit as I pursued other interests, but I would write something for special occasions or class projects. Writing, as a career, however, was pushed to the side.

I thought I knew where I was going with my career path, but things took a turn in 1994. That’s when I was hit by a car, and my journey with chronic pain and chronic illness began. I found some solace in journaling, but I never saw it as a career.

Over the next few years, my love of reading led me into reviewing for publications. I was writing again. Almost without even realizing it, I had come full circle … back to my love of writing. And yet, I still didn’t expect it to go anywhere.

People told me I should share my story of chronic pain and illness, but I’ve never been one to open up to anyone … especially strangers. So, I continued to be content with writing reviews and editing (a career that came out of my publishing connections). I had a job where I could read, and I loved it!

One day, I received an email that I would later recognize as a nudge from God. An editing connection sent me information on entering a contest to have devotions published by Ellie Claire/Worthy Publishing. The topic was one that I’d been toying with writing about for years, yet I never pursued it. I wrote back saying I was definitely interested. After I pushed send, it suddenly hit me: I had never written a devotion in my life! Sure, I’d read a lot of them, but I’d only written reviews or poetry. However, I had committed to submitting a sample, and so I did.

I never expected to hear back from them. So imagine my surprise when I was offered a contract to write ten devotions to be included in a 365-day compilation. It was at that moment that I realized God had done it again 😊

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” That is exactly what happened to me when I hit “send” on that email.

The Lord knew that desire had never truly left my heart. He’d placed it there, after all! It just took a bit of a “nudge” (by way of a car accident and a friend) to remind me of the calling that had been placed on me decades earlier.

God has a calling for each of us, and I fought mine for years. Perhaps you have, as well. Reread Proverbs 3:5-6. Consider memorizing it. Go to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him for guidance in every aspect of your life, including your writing. Then trust Him. He knows what He’s doing!

Leslie is an editor, reviewer, and author. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN. Her devotionals have been published in compilations by Ellie Claire: Just Breathe, Refresh Your Soul, and Breathe: Devotions to Quiet the Soul. She has had flash fiction stories published, as well. Leslie is currently working on her first book, a devotional for women battling chronic pain and illness.

In her spare time, Leslie enjoys reading, crocheting, spending time with family and friends (and her turtle!), and rooting for the NY Giants.

Social media links:

Website: https://leslielmckee.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leslielmckee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslielmckee/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeslieLMcKee

   (@leslielmckee for all social media sites)